Bait container



R. KRANITZ BAIT CONTAINER Filed March 31, 1950 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 5, 1952 Robert Kranitz, Du Bois, Pa.

Application March 31, 1950, Serial No. 153,080

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to bait containers and the present application is a continuation-in-part of an application Serial No. 51,147, filedSeptember 25, 1948, which is now embodied in United States Letters Patent No. 2,503,276, in which is disclosed a bait container for live minnows which can be suspended from a belt and which has a movable bottom coordinated with the container cover for raising the bait to the top of the container without spilling water. The present invention is a modification of that described in the aforementioned patent in that it is especially adapted for construction of plastic material to render the contents visible at all times.

The structure will be more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View, partially broken away, of a bait container embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 a front elevational View thereof with a portion broken away to illustrate the wall in section and the inside movable member partially in section and partially in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the bait container with the cover open;

Fig. 4 a section taken along the line 44, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 a side elevational view of the movable base and cover with the connecting straps or links.

With reference to the several figures of the drawing, numeral I designates a container made of a transparent material such as plastic by molding, the container being slightly tapered from the top to the bottom as shown. Numeral 2 designates lugs for straps and numeral 3 a clip for clamping the container over a strap or belt. As shown in Fig. 2, the inner wall of the container l is provided with ribs 4 and 4a which taper downward to provide suitable draft for molding, the ribs 4 and 4a being integrally formed on the inner wall of the container I. The ribs act as stiifeners or reinforcing for the container and also as guides for a pair of straps 5 hinged at .6, the member 5 being notched at l for fitting into notches of a perforated partition 8, the perforations being relatively large openings as shown at 9 in Fig. 4. The hinge 6, as shown in Fig. 2, consists of hook shaped trunnions which permit free hinging movement of the upper strap 5a without the possibility of the straps separating at the hinge joint.

The straps 5 are provided with lugs I0 which are arranged in pairs and act as guides with the vertical ribs 4, 4a, of the container I so that when the cover H is raised, the partition 8 will 4 and the like from within. The top of the cover is provided with vent holes I3 as shown in Fig. 1.

The partition 8, cover ll, straps 5 and 5a and all of the associated parts, like the guide lugs l0 and the stop lugs I! as well as the hinge member B, are made of plastic material, the same as all of the structural elements of the container and partition member.

In use'the container is partially filled with water and minnows are placed therein. The cover H is closed on the container which moves the partition member 8 to the base of the container. The container is suitably vented through the perforations l3 and live fish bait is visible from the outside of the container. The wearer either suspends the container, which is of kidney shape as shown in Figs. -1 and 4, on the side or slips the clip 3 over his belt. When fishing it is a simple matter of lifting the cover and raising 7 it until the partition member strikes the stop lug l2. It will then tip over as shown in Fig. 3 and a live minnow is removed. By slipping the cover ll back on the container, the partition drops and the container is again closed.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A bait container of plastic material having its outer wall tapered from the top to the bottom thereof and having a pair of guide ribs projecting from the inner wall thereof, a cover for said container having depending links and a partition for said container having upstanding links, said cover and partition links being pivotally joined to permit hinging movement of the cover, said cover having a depending flange enveloping the outer wall of the container, guide means on said partition links for engaging the ribs on the inner wall of the container, and stop lugs on the Wall of the container for limiting the upward movement of the partition when the cover is raised to expose the interior of the container.

3 4 2. A container having a pair of integrally formed guide ribs projecting on the inner walls REFERENCES CITED thereof, a p f d par i r d container The following references are of record in the having upstanding links with spaced lugs for file of t i patent: engaging said guide ribs, a. cover for said con- 5 TED tainer having links in alignment with the links UNI STATES PATENTS of the partition member and being pivotally Number Name Date Joined. to the ends thereof to have hinging move- 947,198 Herzstam Jan. 18, 1910 ment with said linkswhen the cover is in raised 2,334,595 Baily Nov. 16, 1943 position, aflnda plurality of stop lugs. projecting, 10 from the walls of the container to limit the movement or the cover and partition member when, lifted to their upper position.

ROBERT KRANI 'I'Z. 

